Dealer Garage stores inventory, leads, customers, deals and forms in a database on the dealership's computer, so everything except online services works with no connection. Only a VIN lookup, licence activation, Marketplace posting, lead mail checks and sending email need the internet.
What needs a connection
| Works offline | Needs internet |
|---|---|
| Inventory, photos, cost lines | VIN decoding |
| Leads, customers, calendar | Checking a mailbox for lead emails |
| Deals, taxes, calculator | Sending email campaigns |
| Printing forms and stickers | Posting to Marketplace |
| Backup and restore | Activating a paid licence |
Why that matters
A dealership that depends on a hosted system stops when the connection or the vendor's service does. Local software keeps working through both, and you decide when to update.
The trade-off
Local data means you are responsible for backups and for the computer. See desktop and cloud dealer software compared.
A bad-connection example
The internet drops at 2 pm on a Saturday. Your desk keeps building deals, printing paperwork and updating records. Marketplace posting waits. New lead emails wait in the mailbox. At 3 pm the connection returns and they catch up without any action from you.
Questions people ask
Can I use it from home?
Pro lets staff connect to the main computer on the office network. Home access is not built in.
Try Dealer Garage
Dealer Garage is installable dealer management software for independent used-car dealers in the US and Canada: inventory, leads, deals, dealer paperwork, Facebook Marketplace posting and email campaigns, with records stored on the dealership's own computer..